1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed generally to polymer-coated wrapping material, and more specifically is directed to a wrapping paper having a polypropylene-based wax coating for heating and storage of articles of consumption. This invention also relates to a method of heating articles of consumption.
2. Description of Related Art
Composite wrapping materials have long been used for packaging, heating and storing articles of consumption such as food articles. Such wrapping materials not only help to preserve the freshness and cleanliness of food articles over a period of time, but also facilitate cooking, heating and heat retention of food articles by confining and retaining heated moisture or water vapors within the wrapping enclosure. Since the introduction of microwave ovens, microwave cooking and heating of foodstuffs have become widespread. Conventional wrapping materials, however, have not performed very well under microwave conditions.
Composite wrapping materials which are currently available include polyethylene coated paper, hot melt coated paper, paper with foil tissue laminations, dry waxed paper, paraffin wax coated paper, etc. These wrapping materials, however, are not well- suited for use in connection with the heating and cooking of food articles under microwave conditions. Wax papers such as paraffin wax coated paper suffer from the serious disadvantage of losing its integrity in microwave conditions since the wax melts at below 140.degree. F. Other wrapping papers such as polyethylene coated paper suffer from the drawback of sticking together when exposed to high temperatures and thus exhibit poor release characteristics. Papers with foil tissue laminations are not suitable for use under microwave conditions since they reflect microwave energy and impede the cooking and heating of articles of food using microwaves.
Accordingly, there presently exists a need to develop a composite wrapping material which is suitable for use under microwave conditions and which overcomes the aforementioned deficiencies. Considerations of economy and efficiency in terms of both costs and manufacturing logistics must be borne in mind so as to not render the wrapping material prohibitively expensive.